Five Reasons
by Horch
Summary: Why did Madge choose to befriend Katniss? Here are five reasons why. Told in Madge's POV. One-shot. Contains spoilers for the first and second books.


**Okay, so I'm sorry if Katniss seems a bit OOC here. The first three take place before her father's death. The fourth one takes place in the seventy-fourth Hunger Games, obviously. The fifth one takes place in Catching Fire. I do not own The Hunger Games.**

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><p><strong>1. Katniss Knows How To Show Gratitude.<strong>

I look around the cafeteria, looking for a table to sit. Unfortunately, all of them are full. I glance around, and narrow down the tables I would like to sit in. _With Simone and her cronies?_ No, that'd be suicide. _With Dahlia and Iris?_ No, they're chatterboxes. I look around once more. There has to be someone. _With Katniss Everdeen?_ Sure, that won't be so bad. Katniss is quiet, like me.

I walk over to Katniss. She's quietly sitting there. Too poor to afford lunch, like all those other people in the Seam. "Can I sit here?" I ask her quietly. She nods. I take my seat next to her, and bring out my lunch. Bread. I break it in half. "Here. You can have this, Katniss."

Katniss looks at me, surprised. "Really?" she asks. I nod. "Thanks." She takes the bread and wolfs it down, like she hasn't eaten in a century. In about five seconds, she's done. And I haven't even taken my third bite yet. Hey, I like to enjoy my food while it lasts.

"Do you want money for it?" Katniss asks me. She takes out a few coins from her pocket. I shake my head. "Okay." She keeps the money.

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><p><strong>2. Katniss Looks Out For Those Close To Her.<strong>

I watch as Katniss holds her sister's hand. Katniss said her name is Primrose. She has blond hair and blue eyes, like me. She looks nothing like Katniss. One of the only similarities she has with Katniss is her jutted chin. But it would seem more believable if you present her as _my _sister.

I've always wanted a sister, but Nature doesn't collaborate, which is sad. I push this thought out of my head and go back to watching Katniss and Primrose. Katniss is fixing Primrose's hair, which is messy from playing outside, I'll bet.

Katniss finishes braiding her sister's hair and asks her, "How was school, Prim?"

"Oh! Um… school was great. Sam invited me to her house. Can I go, Katniss? Please? Please? Her house is just a few blocks away—I can walk there by myself, so you can go and… do whatever you need to be doing." Prim replies.

Katniss hugs Prim. "No, I'll walk you there. After all, it's dangerous at night." Katniss says. Prim nods.

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><p><strong>3. Katniss Is Modest.<strong>

Someone knocks on our back door. "That's the one with the strawberries." Father says. "Do open it, Madge." I rush to the door. I wonder who the girl selling us delicious strawberries is. It's always been Father who opens the door. But this time, I open it.

It's Katniss, holding a bag of strawberries. "Hi, Katniss," I say. "I didn't know you were the one who sold us those strawberries. They're delicious, by the way." Katniss shrugs and shakes her head in dissent.

"No, it's usually my dad. But today, I begged him to let me collect the strawberries and sell them like he does." Katniss says nonchalantly, like it is nothing. But it is something. I would never be brave enough to do something like that.

I hand her the money, and she hands me the strawberries. "I would never be brave enough to collect strawberries, let alone sell them, Katniss." I compliment her.

"It's nothing." Katniss says. "Bye, Madge." And she goes home.

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><p><strong>4. Katniss Knows How To Treat A Friend.<strong>

I watch as Katniss talks to the dying tribute, Rue, I think her name was.

A spear is wedged in Rue's stomach, and the poor little girl's crying. The camera focuses on Rue as she makes her last request. "Sing." Rue says weakly. I remember that when asked, Rue's biggest passion was music or something. Music. I heard Katniss sing only once, but I swear, her voice is beautiful.

Katniss starts singing. "Deep in the meadow, under the willow… a bed of grass, a soft green pillow…"

Rue's eyes start closing. Katniss looks like she'll start sobbing, but she keeps her voice steady enough to continue the rest of the song. The only time her voice breaks—because of grief—is at the last line: "Here is the place where I love you."

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><p><strong>5. Katniss Is Brave.<strong>

I try to be brave like Katniss, who I secretly admire. "Mother?" I call out as I open her door.

"Yes?" my mother says weakly. Poor Mother. She's having one of her headaches again, I know it. "What is it, Madge? Is something bothering you?" I shake my head at that.

"No, Mother. It's just that… I've seen the whipping of Katniss's friend. I… I have to help him. Can I have some of your morphling?"

Mother closes her eyes for a moment as she considers this. "Sure, Madge."

"Thanks, Mother." I say sincerely as I open her cabinet and take the whole tray. I slowly head downstairs. Suddenly, I feel afraid. It's still storming heavily. What if something happens to me on the way to Katniss's house? I'm sure Katniss's friend will be there, as Katniss's mother is the only doctor at the moment.

I hesitate at the door. Maybe I should just stay at home. _No, Madge,_ my inner conscience tells me. _You have to be brave, like Katniss is._ I strengthen my resolve, and head out the door into the blizzard.

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading. Please don't forget to review! Reviews make me happy. <strong>


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